ERIC Number: EJ1343963
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Mar
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0002-7685
EISSN: EISSN-1938-4211
Microbe Art Can Educate & Correct Misconceptions about Microorganisms
Sangweme, Davison; Lampert, Evan; McIntosh, Erin
American Biology Teacher, v82 n3 p162-169 Mar 2020
Microorganisms are diverse, minute, simple life-forms that generally cannot be seen by the naked eye and require the use of a microscope to be visualized. They have a great impact on all other life-forms. Their tiny size conceals them from us, engendering misunderstanding and fear due to the diseases caused by only a tiny minority of them. We conceptualized and installed an art exhibition called "Tiny Enormous" with the intent to educate our campus community and correct misconceptions about microorganisms. "Tiny Enormous" utilized a variety of artistic media, including paint, sculpture, video, and preserved plates, to display the diversity and ubiquity of microbes, and a series of infographics to illustrate key concepts and correct misconceptions. We surveyed visitors at the opening and closing receptions to examine their knowledge about, and perceptions and attitudes toward, microorganisms prior to and after visiting the exhibition. Respondents who had viewed "Tiny Enormous" demonstrated better knowledge of microbiological terms and concepts and self-reported increased knowledge about microorganisms compared to those who had not. Perceptions that microorganisms were harmful did not differ between subjects prior to and after visiting "Tiny Enormous," possibly because of the exhibition's information about "superbugs." Our results suggest that artistic representations of microorganisms are effective educational tools for both academic and nonacademic audiences.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A